I had just about decided to never watch the news or read a newspaper or touch my computer.  All the news seemed really BAD, and I was frustrated that I couldn't really do anything about it.  I doubted that my measly vote would make a difference, although I sincerely wanted to vote everybody who was in - out

While going through my possible blog posts folder I came across the following,  which was written on the tomb of  an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abbey (1100 A.D.):

"When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.  As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.

"But it, too, seemed immovable.

"As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

"And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize; if I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

"From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world."

What a concept!  If we all decided - before we were on our deathbeds - to start change within ourselves, what might we accomplish?

ANOTHER GMO RANT

    

     I'm all for science and the many good things it has brought us.   Life-saving drugs and improved surgical techniques have saved many lives.  And the researchers and doctors who once pooh-poohed the idea that what you eat could affect your health are now climbing on board the healthy foods bandwagon.

     That's good science.  Let's talk about Monsanto, et al and good-only-for-the-bottom-line science.  Years ago when the chemical companies were pushing their pesticides and herbicides, they had a real problem.  Unfortunately the products that could kill the bugs and weeds also killed the crops.  What to do? What to do? 

      How about messing around with a little gene splicing so that the seeds were resistant to the poison that killed bugs and weeds?  You could spray Roundup all over the corn, soy, etc. since the crops were Roundup-resistant. Not only could you sell the heck out of Roundup, but now the only seeds the farmers could use were those Roundup resistant ones.  And the best part? These little buggers produced sterile plants, so no problem with saving some of the seeds to sow next year because all they would do is just lay there and rot. The company bean counters were beside themselves with joy.  Self-propagating profit!   But you better not fool with Mother Nature.  Her little bugs and weeds developed a resistance to Roundup so farmers had to use more and more of it. Again a win-win for Monsanto.  

      You will hear that the majority of these frankencrops are not in your supermarket.  They are, instead, used as animal feed.  Of course - just like us - animals are what they eat.  Since the GMO crops are cheaper than the old conventional varieties, they are sold to the food manufacturers to be converted into that super sweetener High Fructose Corn Syrup.  They are also used in most processed foods under a plethora of names that are not only unpronounceable, but give little hint of their origin.

      There are still some corn, soy and other crops that have not been 'improved' by agrichem (my word) companies.  They are clearly marked ORGANIC - NON-GMO.  If you make the decision to do without pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, antibiotics, etc. in your food, it is difficult but not impossible.  The extra that you spend for real food will be much less than what you would spend at the doctor's office attempting to undo the damage done by our food manufacturers.

      If you would like to give real food a fighting chance, you can download a free list of Non-GMO foods to take with you when you shop.  This is by no means a complete list, since it's a category that changes frequently.  You can return to this site later on to see the updates.
http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/




      

     

     

     

FRACTURED FAIRYTALES

Once upon a time there was a quite chubby little girl named Goldilocks.  Goldilocks had the unfortunate habit of wandering away from home in search of cream puffs.  One day while on her puffy quest she became lost in the woods.  She was crying and hungry and trying to find her way home when she came upon a charming cottage. "Maybe they will have some cream puffs",  she thought.  She knocked on the door but there was no answer, so she pushed the door open and went in.  

She was very tired from her wandering.  There were three chairs in the room.  A great big one, a middle sized one and an itty bitty one.  She tried out the itty bitty one, but it was too small.  Then she tried out the middle sized one, but it also was too small.  But the great big one was just right.

She sat in the great big chair and noticed that there were three cream puffs on the table.  A great big one, a middle sized one and an itty bitty one.  First she ate the itty bitty one, but that was not enough, so then she ate the middle sized one.  This wasn't enough either, so she ate the great big one.  

Now even Goldilocks was stuffed, so she wandered into the bedroom and there were three beds.  A great big one, a middle sized one and an itty bitty one.  Remembering past experiences, she opted for the great big one right away and fell fast asleep.

Well, who should come home to their little cottage but three bears.  A great big one, a middle sized one and an itty bitty one.  They had been out for a walk before eating their dessert and were looking forward to their cream puffs.  

"Look", cried the itty bitty bear," my cream puff is all gone" .  "Look" said the middle sized bear, "mine is gone too".  The great big bear growled, "Who ate our cream puffs?"

They looked in the bedroom and there,  in the great big bed, they found Goldilocks, with cream still on her face.

So they ate her instead.

The moral of this story: If you're going to steal cream puffs from bears, make sure you have a get-away car handy and, for Pete's sake, don't take a nap first.